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Monday, February 24, 2014

Review: Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

Fire & Flood (Fire & Flood, #1)
Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott
A modern day thrill ride, where a teen girl and her animal companion must participate in a breathtaking race to save her brother's life—and her own.
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to Montana for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying—and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?
Publishes in US: February 25th 2014 by Scholastic Press
Genre: YA Dystopia
Source: Scholastic via Netgalley
Series? Fire & Flood #1

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   I wanted to read Fire and Flood because I liked the sound of Tella. She is obviously loyal and will do anything for her family since she is after a cure for her chronically ill brother. I also am a dystopia fan and I haven't burnt out when it sounds like it has a unique twist and I like the sound of the animal companion as well as that she is fighting for her brother. I want to know more about what is making him (and others) sick because I am also drawn to that type of story line. 
   Also, it is an author that Trisha Wolfe (my homegirl who wrote the amazingness that is FirebloodOf Silver and Beasts  and  The Darkest Part) recommends and one that Victoria, the author calls out in the acknowledgements. 
    We get a taste of the kind of life Tella has been living at the first, and we get to see her relationship with her brother. They banter back and forth but you can tell that Tella does it to keep his spirits up and that is their love language to each other. But regardless of how much Tella wants her brother to get better, she is bored and having a hard time appreciating the country being raised in Boston. I can't imagine the transition from city to country like that much less they don't have computers or anything like that there either. 
    When she finds the device that ultimately invites her to compete in the competition for the cure, the Brimstone Bleed, she thinks she might be losing her mind. Or it could be the best thing that happened to her... Or a joke. But as readers, we know its real. I saw a shift in Tella in the moment she realized it too, and decided to fight for a cure for her brother. That showed me so much into her character. 
     As she is discovering what she faces she is really showing her feminine side, and I love it. She doesn't lose her love of nail polish, being self conscious about her looks, and that is awesome. She is strong in all of the ways that matter, she wants to save her brother. But she also wants to try to find the good in others, and she hates the nature of the game. She doesn't like violence, and she has a kind heart. She has a fierce will to survive and she wants to band together with others even knowing it might be hard when the time comes to separate. But all of these things make her such a complex character and I admire her so much for that and Victoria, the author for having the courage to write a character that's girly but still hardcore. 
     The animal companions give such a unique edge to the story. I mean just when many are thinking that dystopias and games pitting people against one another for survival has been done every way possible, Victoria writes this brillant twist to the story. I don't want to talk about them too much because I don't want to spoil anything. But besides the complexity and amazingness that is Tella, the animals are one of my favorite aspects. They are so individual and distinct (though I will admit with the letter/number names and the sheer number of them at times, I had a hard time remembering which letter/number combo went to which animal). Besides their differences they also demonstrate a lot about the people with whom they are working. For instance, with Tella, she is the most attached to her animal, and she cannot stand to see another animal being hurt or taken advantage of. Tella cuddles with hers, sings to him, and tries to share her food and water. I think that this develops and even deeper bond with them than him just being assigned to her and to help her out. 
    The pacing of Fire and Flood was amazing. There was always something going on. New challenges for Tella, new people coming into her world and heart, as well as discoveries she is making about the world that she lives in, the sickness that has afflicted her brother and the Brimstone Bleed's origins and current purposes.
    I guess I should mention that the formatting is off in the arc. There were pages that were out of place and you had to go forward and back to get the correct line of events, but that didn't happen too much, and its an advanced copy, so you have to expect some things that will be fixed in the final. 
     The secondary characters that surround Tella stole my heart as well. Harper was so tough, Caroline and Dink a mystery, and Guy, oh my goodness. He started out such an enigma and really stayed that way throughout the story. I can't wait to learn even more about him. He's so strong, the silent type and a natural leader. He is smart about survival and everyone in their party looks to him for advice and trusts his guidance on how to survive the parts of the race. 
    What is so hard about this group of companions is that they are all contenders. They have someone they are fighting for. Someone they love who is sick and will die or continue to suffer without the promised cure--which only goes to one person. So while they become attached to each other and help each other, there will eventually have to be some hard choices made, and even knowing that, it is hard to keep from liking them and them from forming some pretty strong bonds. 
    The romance in this one didn't really surprise me, but that is more than okay. I loved how it was a slow developing and that they questioned it like they rightly should in the circumstances. But I think that it made them stronger, giving them more reason to keep going and yet another person they cared about to fight for. There are some moments that take my breath away they are so sweet or there is so much of that good tension and chemistry going on. 
    The ending, oh my. I think that it stopped in a relatively good spot, although I was def not ready to stop reading about Tella, getting answers about the world, guy's past and what would happen to these people and animals that I came to care so much about. I am certainly continuing this series, and anxiously awaiting the copy of Fire and Flood #2 to be in my hands. 

Bottom Line: An amazing dystopia with a unique and fascinating spin with the animal companions and a feminine but hardcore amazing main character.
My question to you, my lovely readers:
Do you think you'd have a chance at a fight to death and save a family member type "game"?
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35 comments:

  1. Trisha Wolfe is such a great woman, and author, and I'm glad that she gets acknowledged by Victoria:) Heh, the formatting in arcs is sometimes so funny. I'm glad it didn't bother you too much and you were able to enjoy yourself nevertheless. I'm glad this was the book for you:)

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    1. Oh I know, just thought it if was enough to distract, maybe mention... I def did not take any stars away because of it.
      But yes, Trish is so amazing

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  2. Wonderful review! I loved this one too and I am DYING for the next book already. Tella and Guy are great characters!

    Teresa @ Readers Live A Thousand Lives

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    1. I know, I got so lost in the story and want more of the pandoras

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  3. Glad to hear the pacing is amazing on this one! My sister liked it, but I've read mixed reviews because of the world-building, something I was weary of when I noticed the short length. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it in all!

    And yes, if I were thrown into a game, I believe I would have a chance ;)

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    1. Kick butt, I will follow you around.
      yes, there have been some negative, some just thought instead of maintaining feminitity she was just being negligent and not keeping in mind seriousness

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  4. You definitely have me curious about these animal companions that you mentioned, I want to read the book to find out what those are all about now. I'm seeing so much love for this book lately that I think I will have to grab it when I can!

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    1. They were really well done and I enjoyed their personalities and the attachments

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  5. Yayy I'm so glad you liked this one! It was definitely one of my favorite reads so far and I loved Pandoras! I don't think the story would've been as good without them

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    1. Oh def not, we could learn so much about characters as to how they treated them

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  6. Awesome review, Brandi! I thought the animal companions were such an great addition too- they really did give the story such a unique edge. Victoria did an amazing job with this one, I loved how Tella was perfectly, imperfect.Her bond with her Pandora really made a difference in how the story went, and Guy! I loved how the romance was slow- and careful. I want a Pandora :)

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    1. Yes, it was slow and then showed their passion later on too, cant wait for more moments with them and with pandoras

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  7. I am so reading this soon, the only thing that makes me feel uneasy is the fact that it reminds people of the hunger games :(

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    1. There are similar elements, but since that is the biggest survival/dystopia book now, I think that some similarities will be unavoidable.

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  8. I love this enthusiastic and detailed review! Everyone seems to be loving Fire and Flood. Great review!

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  9. Wow I love your review for it. You really enjoyed it. I have heard only great things about this one and I truly hope to read it soon. Great review :)

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  10. I think the animals were a favorite part for a lot of people, though I haven't yet read it.

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  11. I can't wait to read this one, it sounds fantastic! So happy to hear you loved it. :-)

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  12. There are quite a few reviews for this book today. Everyone seems to like it too! I'm interested in the animals lol

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  13. The animal companions just sound so cool! So happy you loved this!

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  14. I definitely liked this book more as it went on. I was skeptical of the Pandoras, but I grew to love them :)
    Thanks so much for stopping by! Jen @ YA Romantics

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  15. I loved the Pandoras too! And thanks for bringing up the formatting issue. I had a blogging friend message me with that problem too and it's good to know she wasn't alone in that issue. Glad you liked it!

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  16. YAY! I'm thrilled you loved Fire & Flood, Brandi! I am sooo anxious to read this one...especially now. :)

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  17. I've heard mixed reviews on Fire & Flood, but I think you've convinced me to just take the plunge and check it out. Great review!

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  18. Animal compagny is always fun, I loved the sound of this one as well so I'm g lad you enjoyed it!

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  19. There is not one person I know who didn't love this book. A very good sign.

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  20. I have seen Fire and Flood around the blogoshpere lately, and I am so looking forward to reading it myself! Awesome review, Brandi :)
    Happy reading.

    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

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  21. I am SO excited to read this! I really enjoyed the author's The Collector series and was thrilled to get an ARC of this one. I'm hoping to get to it next week. Great review!

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  22. Epic love?! YAY! I can't wait to read this!

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  23. Lately everyone's been talking about Fire and Flood that I feel the need to get it ASAP. The romance does sound swoonish! URGH i will look into it! I'm officially sold on it. Great review :)
    Lily @ lilysbookblog

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  24. Great review! I have this one and I need to get to it as soon as possible! I keep reading just how amazing it is, and I do love amazing dystopians! And the characters sounds like a must meet :D

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  25. Fantastic review Brandi! Tella is one girl I want to read about and the world and all the characters sound well developed. I can't wait to read it myself!

    Naomi @ Nomi’s Paranormal Palace

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  26. I've been wanting to read this and I've read a few reviews but i have no idea how I missed that there were animal companions!! I need this more than ever now!

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  27. I just wanted to check your rating because I want to read this one, I'm glad you loved it so much! I hope to read it soon!

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